This is a question wondered by anyone who is new to the landscaping scene. Whether one decides to hire a professional or they opt for a do-it-yourself project, cost will always be a major concern. And, unfortunately, regardless of how you decide to landscape, be prepared to shell out thousands of dollars.

That’s right... landscaping is not a cheap venture. This is especially the case if you hire a professional. Don’t believe me? Just see for yourself. Call up a landscaping professional and ask them “How much does landscaping cost?” Chances are they will want to set up an appointment for an onsite estimate. And when they’re done, you can expect figures between $5,000 and $30,000 depending on the size of your land and your home’s value.

But don’t let that discourage you from landscaping your property. If you can’t afford the Full Monty from a professional landscaper, you can break the project up into parts. This includes doing parts of the job yourself along with utilizing free resources.

Yes, you read that right... there are actually free resources that can help lower your landscaping costs. Some of them are sponsored by the government in an effort to promote environmentalism. A specific example can be seen in Seattle, where there’s a city-sponsored program that allows homeowners to plant 10 to 40 trees, completely free of charge.

Another strategy could involve using a landscape designer. However, try to forgo doing the obvious... calling them and asking “How much does landscaping cost?” If you do this, they’re going to want to talk you into designing everything in hopes of realizing a bigger profit. So, instead draw up your own landscaping plans before you even talk to them. If you need help doing this, there are a plethora of landscaping programs that are designed with the beginner in mind.

Anyway, once you have completed your plans, send them to the landscape designer. They will only charge you $1,000 or less to help you see your plans to fruition. Of course, you’ll still need to think about the labor, but at least the design part has been effectively taken care of.

Now, let’s discuss how to deal with labor, when you’re trying to reduce your overall landscaping cost. Here you have three options:

1. Hire a professional for tough projects only, (such as hardscaping)

2. Get friends and family to do planting work, (as this is pretty easy to do).

3. Use a mom-and-pop landscaping company.

If this still doesn’t help you, consider additional payment options, such as a home equity loan or using a secured credit card.

In summary, don’t be afraid to ask professional landscapers “How much does landscaping cost?” Sure, the answer may not be very pleasant to hear, but if you break down each of your landscaping projects, you can still build your dream garden.